Rice for plastic to fight pollution in the Philippines
"We have become more aware not only of what we throw away, but also of what is in the trash."
In the Philippines, a pollution control campaign was set up in the province of Zamboanga in the Mindanao region.
The director of the city's Office of Environment and Natural Resources, Marigold Aranza, explains that for every 2 kilos of plastic collected, volunteers receive 1 kilo of rice.
Wilmer Cruz, of the same agency, explains that the locals were initially incredulous. "They thought we were a scam…the idea seems really strange - exchanging plastics for rice. It's like exchanging trash for food. Who's really doing this?" taken back by UCA News.
But with the support of the municipality, the project was able to be carried out. And 4 kilos of plastic were collected by the inhabitants of the region.
"We have become more aware not only of what we throw away, but also of what is in the trash", explains Rodel Enverga, a 36-year-old fisherman, "we slowly realized that there was something good in the bins, so we went to other nearby villages to look for plastics so that we could also exchange them for rice".
“Not only are our bellies full, but we are also helping the environment,” rejoices Nelly Cervantes, 41, mother of two.
MC
